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After Landing No-Bid Contract From Broward Supervisor Of Elections Office, Tamarac Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin May Score Big Commission Check For Work He Did Not Perform

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Team Dale Holness Strikes Again?
Joe Scott & Dale Holness

Thanks to a no-bid contract from Broward Supervisor of Elections (SOE) Office, Tamarac Commissioner Elberg Mike Gelin may pocket a huge commission check for work performed by another insurance benefits company. In March, newly-elected Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott signed a contract with Gelin Benefits Group, Inc. to provide insurance benefits services to SOE employees. Elberg Mike Gelin created Gelin Benefits Group in 2015.

Under the no-bid contract Gelin Benefits Group would act as the “service provider” for the insurance benefits policy between the Broward Supervisor Of Elections Office and United Healthcare Services (UHS). The deal would pay Gelin Benefits Group a commission equivalent to 6.83% of the medical premium paid to United Healthcare Services. Elberg Mike Gelin signed the contract on February 16, 2021.

According to a source, the previous Broward SOE service provider submitted the 2021 insurance information to United Healthcare Services in December 2020. At some point between February 16, 2021 and March 10, 2021 (when Joe Scott signed the contract) United Healthcare Services recognized Gelin Benefits Group as the sole service provider for Broward SOE. Even though Gelin Benefits Group played no role in the crafting of the current policy, United Healthcare Services would pay the 2021 commission to Gelin’s company.

The source told REDBROWARD that Gelin Benefits Group would do nothing more provide information and guidance to Broward SOE employees during the 2021 calendar year.

The source claimed former Broward Supervisor of Elections Peter Antonacci was happy with the work of previous service provider but he wanted Scott to have a say in the matter. The source said Joe Scott never met or even talked to the previous service provider.

When asked by REDBROWARD about changing service providers, Joe Scott said, “My team wasn’t happy with the previous vendor and Gelin Benefits Group has a great reputation and my staff is very happy with the change.”

Scott said Gelin Benefits Group recently hosted a “health fair” for SOE employees.

As to why he didn’t seek proposals for the contract, Scott said, “Going out to bid is not always necessary to get the best deal. Our office has ongoing needs from our benefits provider. Some treat the relationship as if it was only about setting up the benefits package. Gelin works with us on an ongoing basis.”

Scott claimed the previous service provider “didn’t have adequate customer service.”

REDBROWARD asked Joe Scott how he became aware of Gelin Benefits Group.

“Gelin is really good at what they do,” Scott said. “The company is very well known in my community.” Scott would not elaborate on what he means by “my community.”

When asked if he was concerned the no-bid contract looks like political payback to one of his earliest supporters, Scott said, “I made changes in vendor relationships to improve the organization. It’s pretty typical for losing vendors to be sour. It’s not newsworthy.”

Scott failed to respond to questions regarding discussions with anyone about Gelin Benefits Group.

GELIN BENEFITS GROUP GROWS

While Joe Scott may not think it’s “newsworthy,” taxpayers do have a right to know when an elected official lands big government contracts for his company. Government agencies will put contracts out to bid in order to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Here, the Broward SOE deal with Gelin Benefits Groups raises questions about a conflict of interest.

In early 2020, Joe Scott was a political newcomer in a race filled with longtime political insiders like former Broward Democrat Party Chairman Mitch Ceasar and former Broward School Board Member Jennifer Gottlieb. Some of Joe Scott’s earliest supporters were members of Team Dale Holness. In January 2020, Joe Scott received $500 from Happy Feet Advertising. REDBROWARD exposed Happy Feet Advertising’s close ties to Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton. In June 2020, Scott received a contribution from Gelin himself. One month later, Scott received $500 from Forecast Holdings LLC, a company owned by Marlon Bolton. In October 2019, Scott received a contribution from Coral Springs Commissioner Nancy Metayer. Gelin recently revealed Metayer served as his aide on the Tamarac Commisison.

In September 2020, Joe Scott picked up a contribution from Miramar Commissioner Yvette Colburne. Last month, REDBROWARD revealed Gelin Benefits Group received a big new deal from the City of Miramar. Gelin did not disclose this deal when attorneys representing Miramar applied for the City of Tamarac city attorney position.

During the 2020 election, Joe Scott hired Flyer Smith for campaign services. REDBROWARD reported how Flyer Smith owner Omar Smith, Dale Holness’ campaign guru, is repeatedly involved in mysterious political committees supporting Holness and his allies. Last year, The People Of Principle PAC mailers featured Joe Scott alongside Dale Holness.

Did Joe Scott discuss Gelin Benefits Group with any of these supporters?

Is it just a coincidence that an incoming supervisor of elections just happens to know the name of a fairly new company that does business with municipalities?

Is it another coincidence that this obscure company is owned by one of his earliest supporters?

Is it fair that Gelin Benefits Group gets to pocket a commission for work it did not perform?

Is this just another case of crony capitalism? Well-connected friends reaping the rewards of backing the winning candidate?

Don’t Broward taxpayers deserve answers?

Broward SOE contract with Gelin Benefits Group

North Lauderdale Taxpayers Will Pay For Costly Independent Investigation After Controversial Dale Holness Aide Alleges “Mistreatment” In Email To Commissioner Samson Borgelin

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Samson Borgelin, left and Team Dale Holness

North Lauderdale taxpayers will pay big bucks for an independent investigation into allegations made by an aide to Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness. In a May 11, 2021 email to North Lauderdale Commissioner Samson Borgelin, former deputy city clerk Anthony Bonamy made allegations of “mistreatment” by city officials. One month earlier, the City Commission fired Bonamy after REDBROWARD exposed his role in the phony “Tamarac Post” website.

When hired for the position in December 2020, Anthony Bonamy signed a contract prohibiting any work for local candidates or politicians. REDBROWARD revealed Bonamy owned the “Tamarac Post” website which provided favorable coverage of Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton and Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness.

Bolton, Commissioner Samson Borgelin and Commissioner Regina Martin pushed for the hiring of Bonamy as deputy city clerk. All three are staunch supporters of Dale Holness.

Two weeks ago, REDBROWARD revealed Bonamy was back on the public payroll.

Broward County Commission visitor logs show Dale Holness met with Anthony Bonamy on May 5th to “discuss office details.” On May 7th, Holness and Bonamy met to discuss “future items.” On May 14, 2021 Bonamy met with Holness chief of staff Heidi Richards. The log indicates Bonamy provided “documents” to Richards. Anthony Bonamy is currently listed as a Holness aide on the official Broward County Commission website.

On May 11, 2021 at 4:45pm, Bonamy sent an email detailing allegations of mistreatment to Commissioner Samson Borgelin. According to a discussion of the matter at the May 24, 2021 North Lauderdale commission meeting, Borgelin immediately shared the email with his fellow commissioners. The Commission was in the middle of a workshop when Borgelin received the email.

North Lauderdale Mayor Ana Ziade called Borgelin’s receipt of the Bonamy email “suspicious.”

BORGELIN DEMANDS SUBPOENA POWER

During the May 24th meeting, City Manager Ambreen Bhatty announced an independent investigation into Anthony Bonamy’s allegations. Bhatty stated, “At the City Commission meeting on May 11, Commissioner Borgelin forwarded to the City Commission, City Manager, City Attorney, and the Community Development Department an e- mail that he received from a terminated employee, which alleged mistreatment. The item was not on the Commission agenda for that day and was tabled until the May 25th agenda.” With the assistance of City Attorney Sam Goren, Bhatty selected local attorney Ava Gaye Hue to conduct the investigation. Hue will charge North Lauderdale taxpayers $350 per hour for her investigation.

But the hiring of an independent investigator was not good enough for Samson Borgelin. As one of Anthony Bonamy’s strongest supporters, it is not surprising that Borgelin wanted to personally conduct a witch hunt into the matter. Borgelin argued Commissioners had the power to investigate and subpoena witness. Borgelin was visibly upset that an actual attorney was hired without his explicit approval.

Borgelin demanded the email be made public by publishing it in the commission agenda. City Attorney Goren stated the email was exempt from publication. He stated Commissioners needed to protect the privacy of Bonamy as well as those Bonamy named in the email.

Did Dale Holness know Anthony Bonamy made these allegations against a City he represents?

Does Dale Holness care that residents of city he represents is spending money on allegations made by his personal aide?

Did Dale Holness know about these allegations before he hired Anthony Bonamy?

Has Dale Holness discussed this matter with Commisisoner Samson Borgelin or Commissioner Regina Martin?

Did Dale Holness play any role in the hiring of Anthony Bonamy as North Lauderdale Deputy City Clerk in November 2020?

North Lauderdale City Manager Ambreen Bhatty memo re: Anthony Bonamy